Lever mechanism for clutches



y 2 9 e. E. DATH. ETAL LEVER MECHANISM FOR CLUTCHES V 5 Sheets- Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 9, 1950 G. E. DATH EI'AL LEVER MECHANISM FOR CLUTCHES May 20, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Filed Sept. 9, 1950 Mayzo, 5 G. E.-DATH ErAL 2,597,709

LEVER MECHANISM FOR CLUTCHES Filed Sept. 9, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet s In' eni ons: tieo ge Ellalfi.

Patented May 20, 1952 LEVER MECHANISM FOR CLUTCHES- George E. Dath, Mokena, and Barry W. Mulcahy, Chicago, Ill., assignors to W. H. Miner, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application September 9, 1950, Serial No. 183,978

3 Claims. (01. 74-98) This invention relates to improvements in clutch shifting or actuating means.

One object of the invention is to provide simple and efficientmeans, in the form of a lever actuated mechanism for shifting the sliding clutch member of a clutch mechanism to engaged and disengaged positions.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a hand operated-levermechanism, especially designed for shiftingthe sliding clutch element or member of a worm gear operated hand brake mechanism in one direction to disengaged position to effect quick release of the brakes and in a reverse direction to operatively engaged position Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafterfollowing.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a transverse, vertical sectional view of a power multiplying, worm gear driven handbrake mechanism, illustrating our improved clutch shifting lever mechanism in connection therewith. Fi re 2 is a vertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, partly broken away, showing the parts in different positions, and illustrating the clutch member and clutch-shifting lever mechanism in elevation. Figure 4 is a broken View similar to Figure 3, showing a portion of the brakehousing only. Figure 5 is a top plan view of Figure-1. Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the hand operated lever of our improved mechanism.

The power multiplying hand brake mechanism "proper, illustrated in the drawings, is of well-known construction and comprises a, hous ing l0, within whichthe parts of the brake mechanism are contained, a chain winding drum H, a worm element 12 driven by the usual hand wheel, not shown. a worm-wheel 13 with which the worm l2 meshes, and-a sliding clutch member l4 operatively connecting the worm wheel and drum. The worm wheel 13 is rotatably supported by bearing members 15 and 16 provided in the housing 10, being rotatably supported about an axis at right angles to the axis of rotation of the worm element l2. As shown in Figure 1, the chain winding drum II is in axial alignment with the worm wheel 13 and has its opposite ends rotatably supported in said worm wheel and a bearing II on the housing In. The clutch member 14 is slidingly mounted within the worm wheel 13 and splined to the same for rotation in unison therewith. The housing, as shown in Figure 1, is divided into left and right chambers 18 and I9, the drum II and the worm wheel I3 being mounted within the chamber l9 and the clutch member [4 projecting into the chamber 18. As shown, the clutch member I4 is provided at its outer end, with a fixed spool portion 20 and has teeth 2| at its inner end cooperating with internal teeth 22 on the drum II. The drum II has the usual chain 23 windable thereon, the chain 23, as is well understood, leading to the brake mechanism proper of the railway car. Figure 1 shows the clutch member I4 operatively engaged with the drum, and Figure 3 shows the same shifted to the right to its disengaged position. The spring 24 mounted within the drum II, which is hollow, serves to urge the clutch member 14 in adirection outwardly of the drum to engage the teeth thereof with the teeth of the drum.

Our improved lever mechanism for shifting the clutch member 14 comprises broadly a handle lever A and a cooperating shifting lever B.

The handle lever A is located at the top portion of the chamber 18 of the housing 10 above the sliding clutch member I4. As shown clearly in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 6, the handle lever A includes an elongated arm 25 havinga hand grip knob 26 at its upper end, and a head 21 at its lower end. The head Z'Icomprises sector-shaped wings 28-28 at opposite sides of the arm 25, each wing being provided with two radial teeth 2929 at one side, and a finger 30 at the opposite side thereof. The sector-shaped wings form, in effect, pinions or gears having interrupted teeth. Each finger 30 hasa stop shoulder 3| at its inner end. just beyond the last tooth 29 of the corresponding wing, said shoulder forming, in effect, the side portion of a, third tooth. Projectinglaterally outwardly from each wing 28 is a trunnion 32, the trunnions 32--32. which are at opposite sides of the head 21, being in axial alignment with each other. The head 21 presents a roundedbearing surface 33 at the top and left sides thereof, as seen in Figure 6. The vertical side walls of the chamber 18 of the housing, which side walls are indicated by 3434, are provided with arc-shaped, upper and lower guide flanges 35-35 on the inner sides at the top portion of said chamber, defining guideways within which the trunnions 3232 of the lever A are engaged and guided for rolling movement. The top wall of the chamber I8 of the housing, which wall is indicated by 36, is provided with a rack on its underneath side quired swinging movement of the lever A to properly actuate the shifting lever B to shift'the clutch member I4 to engaged and disengaged positions.

its lower end and an arm 40 upstanding from said head. The lever B is pivotally supported between its ends on a pin 4| extendingthrough the upper end portion of the head 39 and openings 42-42 in the side walls 34- -34,o f the house ing chamber Ill. The forked head 39 comprises a pair of laterally spaced fingers 43-43, having inwardly projecting trunnions 44-44 at the bottom ends thereof, engagedwith thespooLportion 20 of the clutch member Hi. The. upper extremityof the arm of the lever Bis cut away to provide a tongue 45 adapted to bear against the rounded surface 33 of the head 27 of the lever A. Immediately'below the cut out portion thereof, the arm 40- has vertically extending, laterally projecting ribs at opposite sides forming lug-sAG-dt in the path'of movement of, and adapted; to be'engagedby, the fingers 3930. of the lever A.

The operation ofour improved clutch shifting lever mechanism is as follows: Assuming that the parts are in the positions shown in Figure 1, that The shifting lever B has a forked head 39-at 4 i 4 which presses the same toward the left, as viewed in Figure 1.

We claim:

1. In a lever mechanism, the combination with a lever pivoted between its ends; of a fixed supporting bearing member; a second lever having a head: at. one end and-.a finger onsaid head engageabie with one end of said first named lever, said second named lever being swingingly supported at said head end by fulcrum means formed integral therewith, said fulcrum means having bodily traveling movement on said fixed .bearingzr. member; .'-.and means on said head engageable with: fixed means for effecting reciprocating movement of said head through v oscillatorymovementof said second named lever.

is, with the clutch teeth of the clutch member is in driving engagement with the. clutch; teeth of the drum ll, disengagement of the clutch member and-release of the brakes iseffectedby swinging the lever A toward the right from the position shown in F igure'l to that shown in FigureB; During this swinging movement of the lever A, the; teeth 29=29- thereof travel on the rack teeth- 31-31; thereby forcingthe-head 21 of the lever A to'the left andthus, by engagementwith thetongue 45, pushing the upper end ofthe arm 40 of -thelever B toward the left, thus'swinging thelower end of the latter-toward the right and sliding the clutchmember- M to the disengaged position shown in Figure 3:. Movement of the lever A in-this direction is positively limited by engagement with a web 41 formed'on the outer 'wall' 48-of the chamber l8 of thehousing 10. At the same time, movement of the lever A is arrested by'engagement of the stop shoulders 3I3l of saidlever with the tooth 3! at the left hand: end of the rack, as seen in Figure 3. Toeffect reengagement of the clutch member [4, it is shifted back to the position shown in Figure 1. upon reverse movement of the lever A, such reverse movement bringing. the fingers -40 of the lever'A intooperative. engagement with the.lugs-46-46:of the lever B' to swing thelower. end: of the latter'to the left, as shown in. Figure 1. This reverse movement of the clutch member 14. islaided by: the spring; 24,,

' 2? ma lever'mechanism, the combination with a lever pivoted between its ends; an upstanding tongue on the upper end of said lever at one side thereof a, lug; on said upper end of; the lever at the side thereof;opposite to saidtongue; a second lever having a head atoneend engagedwith the n t d of sai on ue; f. ai firs med lever, .-a finger nsaid headengageable with said lug f ifir tnamsd W deco d m d lever being swingingly, supported at said head l u cr m means orm n e r l he ewith, said ulcrum means, ha n bodil traveli m nt 1 .fix di erine m en; a me on said h ad ns seable. w th fi m ans o effecting reciprocating; movement of said head thr gh, cill tory. mcvement id second named lever.

3. In a lever mechanism, the combination with an upstanding lever; pivoted between its ends;

of an stand n on ue the upper n of said lever at one side thereof; a laterally projecti s u on. ai e er ov h v t h eo said lu ubein tbelow. saidtongue; a fixedguidew adiacent a d: ever) sa suid war be a the upper. end;of;;said lever; a second lever having ahead atits lower-end, said head having a trunnion therepnrotatably and slidingly supp rt d n s ideu dewayaidhea in n a ed with said tongue of; the first named. lever to rock he a te n' nedirect ni e orh ped r means, n he, ea z f a d-s n named lever: fixed ra kmean with. hich; s id. e r means meshes; and a finger on: said; head; engageable w t the, ug ofi a d fi st named ever torock he am ma e se i ec on- GEQBGE- TH- HARRY W, MULC nnrnannons cusp.

Thefollowing referencesare of. record: in the file of thisepatentz.

UNITED; STATES-PATENTS 

